Bushwick: The Latin-oriented Bodega Wine Bar has soft opened in preparation for its official March 30 debut. [Bushwick BK]

East Village: Esperanto is now offering lunch every Friday from 12 to 4 p.m., with service expanding to Wednesday through Friday in April and Monday through Friday in May. [Grub Street]

Hell’s Kitchen: Bombay Eats, once notorious for its saag paneer pizza, has closed. [Midtown Lunch]

Lower East Side: Long Island City’s Pain D’Avignon, famed Eleven Madison Park and Momofuku Ssäm Bar vendor, has come to the Essex Street Market. The wholesale bakery’s first retail site will offer fresh breads like cranberry-pecan rolls and rye with caraway seed Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. [Grub Street]

Joel Barkley and Ron Castellano will host An Evening of Tango at Broadway East at 8 p.m. On the bill are live tango musicians and dancers, plus lessons with Strictly Traditional Argentine Tango’s Sergio Segura. Partake or observe while enjoying an open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres until 10 p.m., with a cash-only bar and in-house music to follow. [Grub Street]

Midtown West: A construction snafu, not a food-safety violation, is the reason behind 2 Bros. Pizza’s temporary DOH shutdown. [Midtown Lunch]

Williamsburg: Two new “bagel and deli” spots are coming to the corner of Lorimer and Metropolitan. [Brownstoner]

Read more posts by Stefanie Roberts

Filed Under: neighborhood watch, 2 bros. pizza, bombay eats, broadway east, bushwick, east village, eleven madison park, esperanto brazilian and south american bistro, essex street market, hell’s kitchen, lower east side, mary ann’s, midtown west, momofuku ssäm bar, pain d’avignon, painkiller, the bodega wine bar, williamsburg

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While dispelling rumors of a rift with husband Ryan Reynolds by purchasing a penthouse together on the Upper East Side, Scarlett Johansson was seen living life solo this week. The starlet was first spotted at Rufus Wainwright’s private concert at Rose Bar Monday night, enjoying the exclusive performance with Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu. On Wednesday, Johansson was spied with hunky Broadway boys Liev Schreiber and Hugh Jackman dining at the Mark. Susan Sarandon experienced some excitement of her own when she saved her daughter’s birthday cake from falling over, covering herself in pink frosting, at 1 Oak Saturday night. Read our complete roundup of boldface dining, below.

1 Oak: Susan Sarandon celebrated her daughter’s birthday and came to the rescue when the pink burlesque-themed cake started to topple. [NYDN]

Balthazar: Ever subtle Jude Law donned a hat and tried to pull a hood over Sienna Miller’s head. [Page Six/NYP]

Blue Hill: Matthew Broderick and rabble-rouser Michael Moore dined at the Greenmarket haven. [Page Six/NYP]

Coffee Shop : Kevin Spacey lunched at the Union Square haunt. [NYDN]

Da Silvano: Both Zach Braff and Patti Smith ate at the ever-popular Italian eatery. [Page Six/NYP]

Le Caprice : Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angela Lansbury, and Broadway producer Jeffrey Richards were all spotted at the sceney London import. [Page Six/NYP]

Le Cirque: Former government big-guns Henry Kissinger and Condoleezza Rice were in serious talks over dinner. [Page Six/NYP]

Morimoto: Madonna enjoyed a late dinner with Jesus Luz and close friend Jessica Seinfeld. [Hollywood Life]

Pulino’s: Proving to be the “it” spot of the moment, the Bowery pizzeria hosted both Jude Law and Bill Murray for lunch this week. [NYDN]

Rose Bar: Scarlett Johansson, Lucy Liu, and Drew Barrymore swayed to some sweet Rufus Wainwright tunes at his private concert at the Gramercy Park Hotel’s bar. Gossip Girl’s Penn Badgley showed his enthusiasm by getting up on an ottoman to watch the musician. [NYDN]

South Gate: 90210 heartthrob Jason Priestley dined with his wife, Naomi, Monday night. [NYDN]

The Mark: A View From the Bridge stars Scarlett Johansson and Liev Schreiber dined with Hugh Jackman Wednesday night. [NYDN]

Read more posts by Sally Holmes

Filed Under: 1 oak, balthazar, blue hill, Celebrity Settings, da silvano, le caprice, le cirque, morimoto, pulino’s, rosebar, south gate, the mark

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White Bear sits in the heart of downtown Flushing right off of the Main Street sidestreets. Inside the interior is…

White Bear

135-02 Roosevelt Avenue No. 5, Flushing

(718) 961-2322

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Eschewing conventional covers the same way their restaurants eschew conventional notions of what constitutes Italian food (pretzel dumplings!), the Frankies have gone Gothic for their first cookbook release. The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual bypasses glossy head shots and drippy food porn and goes straight for gold-embossed black, complete with heraldic crest. There’s a dog, and a castle. Also a crescent. And a star. There are, however, no beards. But this is everything most cookbook covers are not, and everything we now want most cookbook covers to be. You can discreetly rub it against your cheek on June 14, when the book lands in stores.

Read more posts by Helen Rosner

Filed Under: bookshelf, cookbooks, frank costronovo, frank falcinelli, frankies, peter meehan

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DNA Info reports that the reincarnation of the Pink Tea Cup, at 88 Seventh Avenue, is seeking to open in May with Alabama Slammers, R&B performances (they’re courting Alicia Keys and Erykah Badu), and a new chef who will add items like “bacon-wrapped jumbo shrimp with gouda cheese and sweet potato pancakes with pecan sauce.” [DNA Info]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: reopenings, soul food, the pink tea cup, west village

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After the departure of food and wine writers John Brecher, Dorothy Gaiter, Janelle Carrigan, and Raymond Sokolov, The Wall Street Journal has announced that, true to rumors, it has hired New York contributor and former House & Garden columnist Jay McInerney as its wine guy. [NYO]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: other critics, jay mcinerney, wall street journal, wine columnists

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Fornino isn’t the only pizza parlor exploring a new neighborhood: We’re told an outpost of PJ Hanley’s sibling South Brooklyn Pizza (owned by Jim McGown, the pizzaiolo convert also known for his nutso condo parties) may open next Thursday at 122 First Avenue, right next to Ruben’s Empanadas. The two-star pizzeria has had to cross some hurdles — last year, construction was halted owing to a stop-work order, and last month, the CB refused to endorse a liquor-license application on the grounds that McGown was seeking to stay open till 4 a.m., host parties (with “fire massages,” one has to wonder?), and use the back garden of what used to be a Ukrainian shipping shop. It doesn’t look like South Brooklyn Pizza will open with the liquor license or outdoor seating it had been hoping for, but we’ll let you know if that changes. In the meantime, Veloce Pizzeria may want to brace for competition.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: openings, east village, jim mcgown, liquor licenses, pizza, ruben’s empanadas, south brooklyn pizza, veloce pizzeria

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Nobu partner Richie Notar is scanning East Hampton for a spot in which to open a seasonal pop-up branch of Nobu. But forget about finding the number in directory assistance: He plans to dole out tables Rao’s style. If you can’t make your 8 p.m. seating, it’s your responsibility to pass the table on to someone else. “With all our regular customers, can you imagine trying to navigate reservations the normal way?” Notar asks. “It would be such a headache I wouldn’t have any summer.”

Read more posts by Beth Landman

Filed Under: temporary openings, east hampton, empire building, nobu, pop-ups, richie notar

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It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they can squeeze in a couple for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Gourmet French.

Adour Alain Ducasse (Menu)
212-710-2277
Two for eight? No
Best available: 6:45 or 8:45

Allegretti (Menu)
212-206-0555
Two for eight? Yes

Balthazar (Menu)
212-965-1414
Two for eight? No
Best available: 10:30 p.m.

Bar Boulud (Menu)
212-595-0303
Two for eight? Yes

Benoit (Menu)
646-943-7373
Two for eight? Yes

Daniel (Menu)
212-288-0033
Two for eight? No
Best available: 10 p.m.

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon (Menu)
212-350-6658
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:15 p.m.

Le Bernardin (Menu)
212-554-1515
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:15 p.m.

Le Cirque (Menu)
212-644-0202
Two for eight? Yes

Filed Under: two for eight, adour alain ducasse, allegretti, balthazar, bar boulud, benoit, daniel, latelier de joel robuchon, le bernardin, le cirque

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This story is still developing and we haven’t yet been able to reach Fatty ‘Cue partner Colin Camac for comment, but a source close to an insider who slept with a publicist posing as a tipster has given us the following EXCLUSIVE REVEAL: Before wearing a “Bloggers Suck” T-shirt to the soft opening of Fatty ‘Cue last night, Camac wore it to Cochon 555 last year. BOOM! See above for stunning EXCLUSIVE photographic evidence of the double-wear. Can I has some wardrobe FAIL, pleez? What’s more, Camac is drinking a PBR, which is a beer that David Chang also drinks (the Changgity-Changdog, a.k.a. the Original Changster, was recently injured in a mile-high boiling-water spill —no joke — and couldn’t be reached for comment, we’re assuming). A whisper of a rumor of a rumbling in the food world indicates Camac may wear the shirt again. We’ve dispatched a team of operatives flanked by a roving reporter aided by an intern posing as an industry vet to get a sneak peek, or if not that then a first look or at the very least an early look into the broom closet at Fatty ‘Cue, to determine whether our spy shots show the same shirt or whether Camac just has two shirts that say the same thing. Either way, it’s safe to say this is a potential GAME-CHANGER. Plus, Keith McNally. BOOM!

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: eh it’s friday, colin camac, david chang, fatty ‘cue

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All this talk about the John Dory got us wondering about one of the Ace’s other hot properties, No. 7 Sub. We revealed its menu back in January in hopes of a February opening, but no dice. Earlier today, an Ace receptionist told us to expect sandwiches “early next week,” but get this: A tipster reports the shop is up and running, and a call to its direct line confirms that it’s open for a “limited run” today and tomorrow (it’s closed on Sundays). The entire menu is being served, but get there quickly before they run out of bread. Once it’s fully operational next week, No. 7 Sub will be open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. till 9 p.m., depending on supply.

No. 7 Sub, 1188 Broadway, nr. 29th St.; 212.532.1680

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: openings, ace hotel, no. 7 sub

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After rumors leaked that the John Dory might be reopening in the Ace Hotel, we called Ken Friedman who confirmed that he’s negotiating a deal to occupy a vacant space on 29th Street and Broadway. He expects to solidify things with the hotel within the next week or two, and after that, there’ll be the question of whether or not the Ace can score another liquor license for a restaurant, two times the size of the original, that “may be called the John Dory, or may not be” (Friedman also says the décor may or may not look as much like “an acid trip underwater”).

“We love the neighborhood,” Friedman told us. “It’s everything that the old neighborhood was not — people live there, people work there, and there’s so much going on there.” Adding to that is a friendly landlord and the possibility of a sidewalk permit. If the project moves forward, expect the hotel’s Tin Pan Alley–themed bar to be set aside for the moment. “April and I looked at each other and said, ‘Let’s do one thing at a time — what do we really need to do?’ Any bars are on hold till we can realize our biggest dream, which is reopening the John Dory.”

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: reopenings, ace hotel, april bloomfield, ken friedman, the john dory

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